The Old Clare Hotel

Exceptional

Unique, themed hotel in great...

Liked: Great location. Quirky elements and antiques. Historic building with lots of charm.
Disliked: Unfortunately, despite the cool decor and theming. This hotel lacks warmth and comfort. By that, the simple touches that make it welcoming, comfortable and homely. No complementary water in rooms, limited supplies (as a couple we couldn't share the same beverage). 1x towel per person. Presumably, these are cost saving strategies but it really let down the guest experience. This hotel could be made to feel immersive with a touch of luxury.

Very good

Liked: Location, Heritage building
Disliked: Overall, the room felt quite clean, but there was still some noticeable dust, especially around the bedside cabinet.

The layout of the bathroom/toilet...

Liked: Location, Heritage building
Disliked: The beds were too soft for our preference.

Very good

I wish I had chosen...

Disliked: It is rare that I write reviews of hotels, but I hope by doing this to save other people from making the mistake I made by choosing the Old Clare. Firstly, this is NOT a 5-star hotel. It is false advertising to claim it is. Secondly, how on earth does the Old Clare have so many good reviews? Are they fake? The Old Clare has little to recommend it. When my husband and I arrived at the establishment I requested to pay in cash to avoid surcharges. I was told they did not accept cash. I asked how it was possible for a hotel not to accept legal tender and the receptionist told me, ‘We are a small hotel, so we can’t afford it.’ The tiny snack bar down the street accepts cash, but a hotel can’t afford it? Of course I had to pay a substantial surcharge for the privilege of being forced to use my card. Some reviews describe the décor as wonderful and quirky. In fact, the only attractive décor is in the foyer. Our room was renovated some time ago in the cheapest style possible, with fake wood cupboards, now chipped and stained, and cheap fabric covering most of the walls they couldn’t be bothered painting. The bathroom was enclosed in glass you can see through and there were gaps underneath, offering little to no privacy. Two mugs stood on the bar top, one of which had a spoon encrusted with chocolate standing in it. The beds were too soft (though I know things like that come down to personal taste) and covered only with one thin bedspread. I don’t like to sleep with heating on, so I asked for an extra quilt. I was told they didn’t have any. A hotel staff member came up with two thin throws, one of them badly stained. That was the best a supposedly 5-star hotel could come up with! The following afternoon we returned from visiting friends to find that our towels had been changed. When I went to have a shower, I unfolded one of the “fresh” towels and found blood stains on it. I got barely any sleep staying here, because even though the room was quiet the acrid smell of smoke ti

Great vibe, can highly recommend

Liked: Unique decor, proximity to shops, restaurants and public transport, lolly bar
Disliked: Nothing

Chic hotel, perfectly located

Liked: The hotel building is beautiful and the room was lovely, really nice and clean. The bed was very comfortable. The hotel is 5minutes walk from central which makes it perfect for getting anywhere in the city.
Disliked: It was extremely noisy on Saturday night, with hen parties in the building and the street next door - the sound proofing is pretty non existent. There was a glitch with their online system so my room service order never went through and I waited almost an hour for my food.

Amazing decor and location. Appalling...

Liked: The decor is beautiful, the heritage building is stunning and the location is spot on
Disliked: Cleaning - there was none. Towels were replaced and nothing else. We had to ask for our used cups to be taken and replaced. Had to ask for toilet paper, bed was made one day of 4. It was very disappointing, not a cheap hotel and so lovely otherwise. This lack of cleaning will stop me going back.